My mission is to raise money for elephants in Sri Lanka in order to protect and preserve their species and habitat. For me personally, elephants have a special place in my heart. Not only are they some of the sweetest animals alive and able to read whether or not you are a good person, they are also more than capable of remembering the people who treat them right. I am raising money for them, in memory of my late grandma, who I feel would have loved to see them receiving this help.

The Pilgrim’s Walk is a pilgrims trail to the Black Madonna in her cathedral in Candelaria, the religious heart of the Canaries. The walk starts at La Crucita at 2000 mts, higher than anywhere in the UK and descends through lava flows, pine forests, vineyards, ancient towns and villages. At the end of the walk , which is an old leyline, in exchange for honouring her the Madonna will grant them a wish. It is an arduous trek but truly magical, in many ways.

In Sri Lanka, an average of 400 elephant lives are lost each year due to conflict, whether this be with humans or train collisions. All species of elephant are endangered, and of they do not receive help, they will become extinct. I aim to help lower these statistics. In the last few years, Prithviraj Fernando, head of the centre of conservation and research in Sri Lanka, proposed an idea for constructing underpasses for these elephants and many other species to safely cross between train lines. Alongside this, WWF state that elephants hold symbolic, cultural and economic importance in Sri Lanka. They support tourism and logging operations, supporting the community and they have special significance in religious events.

As well as creating underpasses, there are many charities that focus on the protection from and arrest of poachers, who travel miles to slaughter these beautiful creatures for their ivory tusks.

Any sort of contribution to this cause would be appreciated and would have a great effect on the survival and wellbeing if these majestic animals.